


Dragonflies, Fangs and the Heart's Choices

by red_day_dawning



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, Established Relationship, M/M, Post-War, Romance, snarry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-02-18
Updated: 2011-02-18
Packaged: 2017-10-15 18:13:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/163522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/red_day_dawning/pseuds/red_day_dawning
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>"Gran says that sometimes the heart makes stupid choices, but even stupid choices are the right ones sometimes.  I reckon Gran was talking about you, wasn't she?  You're Harry's </i>stupid<i> choice."</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Dragonflies, Fangs and the Heart's Choices

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** JKR owns the characters and situations of HP. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Dragonflies, Fangs and the Heart's Choices**

 

"Gran says that sometimes the heart makes stupid choices, but even stupid choices are the right ones sometimes. I reckon Gran was talking about you, wasn't she? You're Harry's _stupid_ choice."

“Your grandmother may have been thinking of examples closer to home,” Severus snapped.

“Yeah, like who?” Teddy challenged, poking his delicate chin up into the air.

Severus opened his mouth, then changed his mind. Those eyes looking up at him were anxious despite the defiance of his chin out-thrust stance. He could not hurt this boy. And not just because Harry would never forgive him. But because he deserved better than to be taunted with the truth about his parents’ foolish choices when he had neither mother nor father at his side.

“Stupid people making foolish choices are endemic. All around us, like a disease,” he added, uncertain of the vocabulary level of a child. “One need only look out the window to see countless examples of stupid people. Come on,” he said, making up his mind. “Come for a walk and I will demonstrate. Every person we pass will be an example of stupidity.”

“Where are we going?” Teddy asked, lacking enthusiasm for the proposed outing.

“To the river. Where we shall find a park handsomely equipped with a rusty swing and a slippery dip fit to fall down.”

“Will there be ice-cream?” Teddy asked, reluctantly taking the man’s hand as he was gently propelled out of the door.

“Indeed, there may well be ice-cream. But only for those with exemplary behaviour to be sure.”

“‘X'mplary means being good doesn’t it?” Teddy asked narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

“It most certainly does.”

~*~

Severus watched with some satisfaction as the boy waved grubby fingers in a perfunctory farewell. He could count the boy’s visit a success, he thought. Not so pleasurable for the boy that he would beg to return, not so dreadful as to upset Harry.

Shamelessly casting an eavesdropping charm on the man and the boy walking away, he heard Harry ask in a feigned casual voice: “So, what did you think of Severus then?”

“He’s all right,” the boy reluctantly replied. “He bought me a vanilla ice-cream and pushed me on an old swing next to a river with dragonflies. But even if Gran is right about his bark I wouldn’t like him to bite me.”

“What’s this about Severus’ bark?”

“Gran said his bark's worse ‘n his bite. Maybe it is, but I reckon it’d hurt if he bit me.”

“What, you think his teeth are sharper than mine?” Harry laughed, baring his teeth in what Severus was certain would be a pathetic display of ferocity.

“Ooh, yeah. _Real_ sharp teeth. And fangs, too.”

“Fangs?”

“Yeah, that why he doesn’t smile. Cos his fangs would stick out all the way, like this,” Teddy announced, demonstrating the fang's great size with his fingers waving in his mouth.

“Fangs?” Harry repeated in a tone Severus suspected was close to hysteria or laughter suppressed. “Fangs?”

Severus nodded to himself in satisfaction, revealing a smile that although fang-less might have caused Teddy some alarm. A successful visit indeed.


End file.
